Abstract: In a heating appliance comprising a substrate for receiving an item of cookware, a method of measuring reflectivity comprises emitting a time-varying electromagnetic signal from a first side of the substrate, a portion of the time-varying electromagnetic signal propagating through the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation is then received at the first side of the substrate, the received electromagnetic radiation comprising a background ambient component received and a component reflected by the substrate. A gain factor is applied to translate the received electromagnetic radiation to a receive electrical signal. An offset signal component is then identified from the receive electrical signal, the offset signal component arising from the background ambient component of the received electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A position sensor device comprising two or more magnetic sensors capable of measuring one or two or three orthogonal magnetic field components at various sensor locations; and a processing circuit for determining a first, a second and a third difference of two respective components, and for determining a first ratio of the first and second difference, and determining and outputting a first angle based on this first ratio; and for determining a second ratio of the first and third difference, for optionally determining a second angle, optionally comparing the two angles or the two ratios; and for outputting at least one of: the second angle, the two ratios, a diagnostic signal based on a comparison of the angles or ratios.

Abstract: A method of magnetic sensing uses at least two magnetic sensing elements including a first and a second magnetic sensor element. The method includes: a) measuring in a first configuration a combination of the first and second signal obtained from both sensors; b) measuring in a second configuration an individual signal obtained from the first sensor only; c) testing a consistency of the combined signal and the individual signal, or testing a consistency of signals derived therefrom, in order to detect an error. A sensor device is configured for performing this method. A sensor system includes the sensor device and optionally a second processor connected thereto.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor substrate comprising at least one integrated magnetic flux concentrator, comprising the steps of: a) providing a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface; b) making at least one cavity in said upper surface; c) depositing one or more layers of one or more materials, including sputtering at least one layer of a soft magnetic material; d) removing substantially all of the soft magnetic material that is situated outside of the at least one cavity, while leaving at least a portion of the soft magnetic material that is inside said at least one cavity. A semiconductor substrate comprising at least one integrated magnetic flux concentrator. A sensor device or a sensor system, a current sensor device or system, a position sensor device or system, a proximity sensor device or system, an integrated transformer device or system.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor system, includes a single coil brushless DC motor and a driver for driving the single coil brushless DC motor. The brushless DC motor system has a maximum time constant ?max. The driver comprises a control unit which is adapted for driving the brushless DC motor at a constant speed and at a variable speed by applying a PWM driving signal to the coil of the brushless DC motor with a PWM frequency larger than a ratio defined by a constant/?max wherein the ratio is such that a current through the coil is always bigger than a pre-defined undercurrent limit.

Abstract: A method for braking a single coil BLDC motor includes iterating a plurality of times through a sequence of: a braking state which lasts a braking period; and a high impedance state which lasts a cool down period. The current runs through the single coil during the braking state and no current runs through the single coil during the high impedance state. The transiting from the braking state to the high impedance state is done when the motor operates in generator mode.

Abstract: A current sensor arrangement for measuring an AC electrical current, comprising: an electrical conductor having three transverse rectangular cut-outs; a sensor device comprising two sensor elements spaced apart along a first direction for measuring two magnetic field components oriented in said first direction, and configured for determining a magnetic field difference or magnetic field gradient, and for determining the AC current based on said difference or gradient. The sensor device is positioned at a particular location relative to the second cut-out, such that the magnetic field difference or gradient is substantially proportional to the AC current for frequencies from 100 Hz to 2 kHz. A current sensor system. A method of measuring an AC current with improved accuracy.

Abstract: A current sensor system for measuring an AC electrical current, comprising: a busbar having a thickness and a width; a sensor device comprising two sensor elements spaced apart along a first direction for measuring two magnetic field components oriented in a second direction; the sensor device configured for determining a magnetic field difference, and for determining the AC current based on said difference. The sensor device is positioned relative to the busbar such that a reference point in the middle between the two sensor elements is located at a first distance from a side of the busbar from 70% to 110% or from 70% to 95% of the width of the busbar and is located at a second distance from 0.5 to 4.0 mm from the busbar.

Abstract: A detection system for extracting information from a sensor module in a rolling wheel comprises: a sensor module which comprises a sensor adapted for sensing a physical property of the tire when mounted in a tire of the wheel or on an inner surface of a tire of the wheel; an acquisition module adapted for sampling a signal from the sensor module, thus obtaining a sequence of data samples; a correlation module adapted for cross-correlating a signed reference sequence with the sequence of data samples thus obtaining a correlation sequence; an extraction module adapted for identifying at least one perturbation in the correlation sequence, wherein the perturbation is induced when a part of the tire where the sensor is mounted hits the ground thereby forming the tire patch.

Abstract: A sensor package comprises a non-conductive substrate, at least two electrically conductive coils located at a first side of the non-conductive substrate, an evaluation circuit located at a second side of the non-conductive substrate opposing the first side of the non-conductive substrate and conductive connections between the at least two electrically conductive coils and the evaluation circuit.

Abstract: A method of digitally processing an image comprises: generating an intensity distribution model (170) in respect of at least a portion of the array of sensing pixels (102) of a detector device (100). The array of sensing pixels comprises clusters of pixels. A pixel (140) from the array of sensing pixels is then selected (202) and a first distance and a second distance from the selected pixel to a first neighbouring pixel (142) and a second neighbouring pixel (144), respectively, are determined (402) and the intensity distribution model (170) referenced (406) by the first distance is used to calculate a first weight and a second weight to apply to the first and second neighbouring pixels, respectively. The first distance comprises an intra-cluster distance and the second distance comprises an inter-cluster distance, the intra-cluster distance being different from the inter-cluster distance.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a sensor device comprising: configuring a moulding support structure and a packaging mould so as to provide predetermined pathways to accommodate a moulding compound, the moulding support structure defining a first notional volume adjacent a second notional volume. An elongate sensor element and the moulding support structure are configured so that the moulding support structure fixedly carries the elongate sensor element and the elongate sensor element resides substantially in the first notional volume and extends towards the second notional volume, the elongate sensor element having an electrical contact electrically coupled to another electrical contact disposed within the second notional volume. The moulding support structure carrying (102) the elongate sensor element is disposed within the packaging mould (106).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a field-sensor device comprising a reference field sensor providing a reference sensor signal in response to a field, a calibrated field sensor providing a calibrated sensor signal in response to the field, a reference circuit connected to the reference field sensor and adapted to receive a reference signal, and an adjustable circuit connected to the calibrated field sensor and adapted to receive a calibrated signal. When the adjustable circuit is adjusted with the calibrated signal, said calibrated signal being different from the reference signal, the calibrated field sensor provides a calibrated sensor signal substantially equal to the reference sensor signal. The field sensor device is arranged to be exposed, when in a calibration mode, to a uniform calibration field and, when in operational mode, to an operational field being a field gradient.

Abstract: A current sensor is described comprising an integrated circuit for sensing electric currents comprising an active side, the active side comprising at least one sensing element and at least one contact pad and a housing comprising material embedding the integrated circuit arranged for allowing electric connection to the at least two contact pads of the active side of the integrated circuit. The housing comprises at least one conductive via disposed outside the integrated circuit and connected to the at least one contact pad, for distributing signals from the at least one contact pad through the housing away from the active side of the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A tire wear estimator includes a tire measurement system adapted to be mounted in or on an inner surface of the tire. The tire measurement system comprises a sensor adapted for sensing a physical property of the tire, and an acquisition system adapted for sampling a signal of the sensor into memory, to acquire a perturbation in the sampled data induced by a contact patch of the tire when the sensor is mounted in or on an inner surface of the tire. A sample rate of the acquisition system is high enough so at least one oscillation, which indicates a tread depth of the tire, becomes detectable in the sampled data in and/or around the perturbation.

Abstract: A controller configured for detecting a disturbance using a comparison of outputs of at least two sensors and for determining a pressure from the outputs of the at least two sensors. A ratio of the measurement sensitivity and the disturbance sensitivity should be different for the at least two sensors. A method for monitoring disturbances of a sensor assembly includes comparing the outputs of the at least two sensors. The controller and related method provide, while requiring only two sensors, a redundant system that is also able to detect excessive disturbances on a sensor assembly.

Abstract: A method of generating a de-interlacing filter comprises: analysing a pixel array comprising an interlacing pattern of pixels. The interlacing pattern of pixels comprises first and second pluralities of pixels configured to be read during a first measurement subframe and a second measurement subframe, respectively. An n-state representation of the interlacing pattern of pixels is generated and distinguishes between the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels. The n-state representation of the interlacing pattern is translated to a spatial frequency domain, thereby generating a spatial frequency domain representation of the n-state representation of the interlacing pattern. A DC signal component is then removed from the spatial frequency domain representation of the n-state representation of the interlacing pattern, thereby generating a DC-less spatial frequency domain representation.

Abstract: A magnetic flux concentrator (MFC) structure comprises a substrate, a first metal layer disposed on or over the substrate, and a second metal layer disposed on or over the first metal layer. Each metal layer comprises (i) a first wire layer comprising first wires conducting electrical signals, and (ii) a first dielectric layer disposed on the first wire layer. A magnetic flux concentrator is disposed at least partially in the first metal layer, in the second metal layer, or in both the first and the second metal layers. The structure can comprise an electronic circuit or a magnetic sensor with sensing plates. The structure can comprise a transformer or an electromagnet with suitable control circuits. The magnetic flux concentrator can comprise a metal stress-reduction layer in the first or second wire layers and a core formed by electroplating the stress-reduction layer.

Abstract: A position sensor system includes a magnetic source for generating a magnetic field, and a position sensor device movable relative to the magnetic source, or vice versa. The position sensor device comprises at least three magnetic sensor elements for measuring at least three magnetic field values of the magnetic field, and a processing circuit configured for determining at least two magnetic field gradients or magnetic field differences based on the at least three magnetic field values, and for deriving from the at least two magnetic field gradients or differences a first value indicative of a position of the position sensor device, and for deriving from the at least two magnetic field gradients or differences a second value indicative of integrity of the position sensor system.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor system includes a magnet and a sensor device. The magnet has a shape and is movable along an axis between a first position and a second position and is optionally also rotatable about this axis. The magnetic sensor device has a plurality of magnetic sensitive elements for measuring at least two orthogonal magnetic field components or at least two orthogonal magnetic field gradients, and a processing circuit for determining an axial position of the magnet or whether the magnet is located in the first or second position based on the first and second magnetic field components or gradients, and optionally also for estimating or calculating an angular position of the magnet. A method of determining the axial and/or angular position. A magnetic sensor device includes features of the magnetic sensor system.